Friends (2013) - Adams, Robert

“When I heard of this from my father, I ran and told Willee that it was time for him to leave. That night we slept together for the last time. In the morning he was gone. Part of

his heart and his son have stayed with me all these years. Sometimes 1 think that’s all that’s made them bearable.” “You mean, Bard Willee is my real father?”

“Yes.”

“But why didn’t you tell me?”

“Do you think it would have made living with Peetuh any easier, knowing that?”

“No—no. 1 guess you’re right. I’d have hated him, maybe even enough to throw it in his face.”

“Yes, and he doesn’t deserve either. Deep inside, he is a good man. Hard, but always just. He deserves your love and respect. Hasn’t he always treated you like his own son?” “Yes, but why did you marry him?”

“You know how the town fathers feel about women with— who give birth out of wedlock. They and their families are disgraced. My father was all alone and sick. I couldn’t do that to him.

“Oskah—I knew he’d never accept a child he had any doubts about. So I told your father. He was hurt, and for a while he was angry.

“But he got over it, then asked me to marry him so that the child would have a name. He has never used it against me or treated you other than as his own.”

“I know, Mother. You would have been proud of the way he took care of Oskah at the farm. I—I think I’ve wronged him.”

“Then tell him. He can be hurt too, for all that he tried to hide it. People like your father can be hurt the worst of all, maybe. And I wronged him too, even though 1 was trying to protect you, my one son, the son of my one true love.”

His mother’s voice became brisk again. “Oskah has never forgiven me. After your birth there was more talk, which he has never forgotten. He is a man who nurses on pain as if he were a suckling child. 1 don’t think he’s finished with us yet. Watch your steps, Djoh, and be careful.”

On the way to see Iron Claw that afternoon, Djoh began to have the feeling that he was being followed. But he was unable to spot anyone, and there was no mindtrace. Maybe he’d been hearing too many stories about pirates. Certainly there was no treasure in the forest that would attract any pirate’s interest.

Iron Claw actually came to meet him at the edge of the forest. The big prairiecat was beginning to fill, and Djoh began to realize just how huge his friend was when not half starved.

“Good hunting, Little Brother. Today I will follow you.” “Good, Iron Claw.”

Djoh actually welcomed the company. They found the markings of a herd of wild pigs and followed them for two miles. Iron Claw easily kept up, then finished off a big sow Djoh had only wounded.

“This is good, Little Brother! To hunt again, instead of being fed like a just-weaned kitten!” Then Iron Claw was too busy eating to talk.

On the way back to the den, with the pig’s hindquarters resting on Djoh’s mare, he brought up the subject of pirates. “With my father gone, I won’t be able to hunt for you except during the afternoons.”

“That does no harm, Little Brother. My leg is healing quickly now. This fine sow should satisfy my hunger for three or four days. Soon I shall have to leave, although I shall miss my two-legs brother.”

“And I shall miss you, oh hungry one. But let us not think of unpleasant things until we must. I will return in three days and we will hunt together again.”

“Farewell, Little Brother.”

As he approached the house, Djoh sensed many mindtraces, filled with anger and fear. Had the pirates actually come this far inland? Or had something happened to his father? He kicked the old mare into a trot toward the barn. There he was met by half a dozen grim-faced farmers and townsmen. “What’s wrong? Is it the pirates? Where is Peetuh?”

“In jail, for now,” said the marshal. “He couldn’t accept that his own son or whatever the hell you are was a slime-suckin’ weasel.”

Djoh would have fallen off his horse in surprise if the men had given him a chance. Four pairs of hands roughly yanked him to the ground and had him bound and hog-tied in a minute, while the marshal covered him with a crossbow. “What—-what am I supposed to have done?” he stammered. “As if he don’t know!” sneered one of the farmers. “Somebody ’round here’s been tellin’ the pirates about when boats are leavin’ and when they’re supposed to return,” said the marshal. “An’ it’s all come back to you, Witchboy.” Djoh felt his stomach sink into his boots. Oskah! Who else besides his family and a few trusted friends knew about his mindspeak, or even thought they did? What chance did his word have against one of the Town Fathers?

“How could I know that information, Marsha! Nehil? I haven’t been to town all month. 1 haven’t been near the wharf since last summer!”

“That’s true enough, Marshal,” said one of the townsmen who owned a waterfront warehouse.

“Don’t need to be there, Witchboy, from what 1 hear. Besides, it ain’t up to us to decide. You’ll have your trial fit and proper, at the Shrine. It’s up to us to get you to jail.” Oh sure, thought Djoh. Nobody could complain about that; the Sacred Caterpillars were fair-minded men. They were also either business partners or friends of Oskah. The trial would be a farce, for the entertainment of Blue Springs and with only one possible end.

Djoh had the feeling that his luck had run out. He and Iron Claw would both be leaving Blue Springs soon, but for very different destinations.

Peetuh was released on oath to “not interfere with the judgment of the Sacred Caterpillars,” so Djoh was alone in the town jail from his first night there. That night he tried to mindspeak Iron Claw. The cat was going to be on his own sooner than he’d expected, so the sooner he knew about it the better.

Djoh was the only mindspeak adept in Blue Springs. It was as easy as ever to pass through the town’s tangle of thoughts, like a hand brushing away a cat’s cradle of spiderwebs. Some of the farm animals, horses in particular, had a rudimentary mindspeak, but none compared with the prairiecat.

It took him about half an hour to reach Iron Claw.

“What is it, Little Brother? Something that makes you uneasy, I sense.”

Djoh gave an edited version of the day’s events, trying to make it appear that he was in little danger so that Iron Claw wouldn’t try anything foolish. He promptly learned just how hard it was to lie while mindspeaking.

“1 will come and get you,” said Iron Claw.

“No, you must not! They have bows and swords here, and you aren’t well yet!”

“Well enough, Little Brother, to make short work of any clan of two-legs!”

“That is true, Iron Claw. But there will be a better time, when few of the two-legs are around.” He wasn’t sure about that, but he hoped he sounded convincing. There was no sense in this farce costing two lives instead of one.

“Very well. Be sure to call the moment you need me, little brother. It has been a long time since I fought bad two-legs, so 1 am looking forward to it. Without their weapons, they fight worse than kittens!”